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Steven Naismith scored a seven-minute hat-trick as Hearts eased past Arbroath to extend their lead at the top of the Scottish Championship to five points.

The Scotland striker stroked in the opener on 29 minutes after Jamie Walker's cross, then headed in Michael Smith's deflected shot.

Naismith ended a remarkable period by converting a penalty awarded when Andy Irving's shot was blocked by an arm.

Kris Doolan's reply proved mere consolation for part-time Arbroath.

Dick Campbell's side end the year at the foot of the table as a result, with their manager booked for his protests at Hearts' second goal, when Naismith appeared offside.

Hearts, meanwhile, capitalised on Dunfermline's draw at Inverness to stretch their lead at the summit, having played a game fewer than their closest rivals.

Hearts head coach Robbie Neilson: "There's big games you play in and you concentrate for the whole 90 minutes, sometimes with these games when we don't have the crowd there it can be really difficult at times.

"The concentration levels are there and we pop it about, then we get slack, so it's trying to get that out the players."